Recipe

How to be Bougie with This Earl Grey Cream Puff Recipe

By Michelle Lu at University of Texas

In the latest line of trends that include new superfoods, rainbow and galaxy anything, and white people discovering Asian cuisine, comes the next big thing: tea-infused foods. I took this concept to the next level and got creative to present to you something you didn't know you needed until you try it — earl grey cream puffs.

Now bear with me, because cream puffs are a little tricky to make and call for very precise measurements. However, it's totally worth it in the end if you can stick to all the details. This recipe combines the traditional French method of making crunchy cream puffs (choux au craquelin) with a Japanese process. 

Perfect for tea lovers, these earl grey cream puffs aren't too sweet, can be enjoyed fresh or frozen, and are definitely a crowd-pleaser. Try this recipe out — you'll be simultaneously keeping up with the food trends while satisfying a craving you never knew you had. 

Choux Puff

  • Prep Time: 1 hr 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins
  • Servings: 15
Ingredients
  • 100g plain flour
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 75g unsalted butter cubed
  • 75g water
  • 50g milk
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2-3 eggs
  • 75g cake flour

Ashley Kim

Step 1

Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 200 C (roughly 395 F). Sift the cake flour once. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Ashley Kim

Step 2

Cookie dough:
Combine flour and sugar, and add the cubed butter into the dry ingredients. Knead with fingers until well combined. Then wrap the dough in a plastic sheet and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Ashley Kim

Step 3

Choux Puff:
In a small saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil using medium-high heat, then remove immediately.

Ashley Kim

Step 4

Using a wooden spoon, stir in cake flour until combined and mixture forms a ball.

Ashley Kim

Step 5

Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan and a film forms on the bottom of the pan.

Ashley Kim

Step 6

Transfer mixture into a clean bowl. Add one egg at a time, beating with a wooden spoon until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Ashley Kim

Step 7

Batter is ready when it forms a smooth triangle shape we you take a scoop of it. If not, add more egg.

Ashley Kim

Step 8

Pour choux dough into a pipping bag fitted with a 1-cm round piping tip. Pipe out 5-cm circles onto the baking sheet and gently smooth out the peaks with a moistened finger.

Ashley Kim

Step 9

Roll out the cookie dough to about 3 mm thick and cut out a 6 cm circle. Place one cookie dough on each choux pastry.

Ashley Kim

Step 10

Bake choux puffs for 20 minutes before reducing the temperature to 180 C (355 F). Continue baking for another 20 minutes.

Ashley Kim

Earl Grey Cream Filling

  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Servings: 15
Ingredients
  • 2-3 Early Grey tea bags
  • 200g fresh milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 40g castor sugar
  • 20g corn flour
  • 130mL heavy cream

Ashley Kim

Step 1

Simmer milk and add Earl Grey tea bags to infuse them in the heat.

Ashley Kim

Step 2

In a clean bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until mixture is pale yellow. Add corn flour and mix well.

Ashley Kim

Step 3

Add Earl Grey milk mixture to the egg mixture.

Ashley Kim

Step 4

Return egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, constantly stirring. Continue mixing until mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and set it over an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.

Ashley Kim

Step 5

Pour the heavy cream into a cold metal bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream mixture.

Ashley Kim

Step 6

To Assemble:
Fill pastry cream into a pipping bag with a 1-cm plain round tip. Cut a small opening at the side of the choux puff pastry.

Ashley Kim

Step 7

Pipe the pastry cream into the choux puff pastry until full.

Ashley Kim

Step 8

Dust pastry with icing sugar. Enjoy!

Ashley Kim

Recipe adapted from Simple Indulgence